Expansion-link catch-hook.



C. L. DEPOLLIER.

EXPANSION LINK CATCH HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1913.

1 ,088,549. Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

.and State of New York, have invented UNTEB STATE i CHARLES L. DEPOLLEER, Y'-

nxraisroiem un c Specicacicn el Le Application filed Mag' G, l'fl. Se;

tee

T0 all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I. CHARLES L. Deren LIER, a citizen of the United States, residing' in the city of New York, county of Kin tain new and useful Improvements in pansi0n-Link Catchd'loolrs, of which following is a specification.

My invention in expansion link catclihooks relates to a. type of expansion link.'

combined with a catch-hook, which is more particularly adapted to' articles et" jewelry,

as for example, bracelets, constructed of' rib `expansion catch-hook, whichmajy' be readily introduced to the bracelet Structure. wliecby a degree of expansion and con 'rumen o1 the l bracelet is'permissible.

ving; figures. is a rear plan View my improved strap terminal member. and l L The object of my invention is to provide a neat, durable `and inexpensive device, which may be introduced in a. bracelet struc ture, whereby elasticity is afforded, as well as the range of expansion and contraction thereby augmented.

The features characteristic of my inven tion, whereby I attain the objects thereof, is depicted in the drawings, referred to in the correlativo appended descriptive matter thereof, and pointed out in the claims, which. together, comprise the specification.

With reference. to the drewiuge: Figure l is a side elcvationalview et my improved expansion link catch-hook, secured to. in the instance illustrated, the end of e iraq ment of a strap; a. portion toward the end of the latter and up to the point. at. which it is fastened to the catchhook being removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational View of a part of the catchhooli' ale-ne. Atelic-n on the line X-X of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sec tional plan View thereof, take-n on the line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevational View thereof, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig.v l. Fig. 5 is a similar View to that of Fig. 3, illustrating the catclrhooli in an extended position. and its retreating spring compressed. Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the expansion link catclrhoolr; and connected etrzm terminal, drawn upon u somewhat smaller scale than in me prec mg ciuYs olf tbe mtlioni ted. "l lis; end.

opposite end lil; iS l j' formation .15m-.1l Folded at subsdmt the bottom 11.0.:1fesiii intermediate parallel verging end @Minions tiene are provided Wi Y of the tu'ide 1 The peral 1 inc end, d -e dell a- :ne tue muri' a if* l et for substantially one halt of thereof. and 1n such :22. manner arf; te shoulders or steps, The filming x pin I 1. suitable to b.

the au' "i and pla-,v reelr direction x y nal bend 24, and an upper inner terminal bend 25, leaving an end free to form a lip or bill 26 for the hook 3, while the opposite end is secured to the run 22 preferably by a soldering operation. Intermediate of the width of lthe run 22, and projecting outwardly, substantially at right angles therefrom, and at the terminal 23 is a fingercatch 27.

Within the. link 4 is secured the sliding guide pin 7, preferably by soldering, and playing between the guide pin 6 and sliding guide pin 7 is the housed spiral compression spring 8. Cover plate 9 has a perimeter substantially identical with that of the bottom 10. This is provided1 with an outer cross-baror guard 28, beveled 'oil on the ends, and. intermediately notched, to

form a recess 29, opposite the bill 26 of the hook 3, and it is. moreover provided with a slot 30, corresponding to ,the slot cut through bottom 10 of the boX 2.

Corresponding to the walls 14 of the box 2, and integrally formed with,|and projecting downwardly from the cover plate 9, is a neck 31, adapted to interfit with the walls 14 interiorly.

32 designates afragrnent of ribbon or strap, with which my improved expansion link catch-hook is engaged, and to which it is secured. In the instance illustrated the engaging end of the strap 32 is notched out parallel with the slot 30 to a width equal to that of the lateral spacing of the guide plates 5 exteriorly, and of corresponding length to engage the end 20, and it is notched out on its opposite outer edges 33, to form' recesses 34, intertitting the inner opposite sides and outer ends of the neck 31. The end portion of the strap 32, thus fitted to the cover plate 9 is preferably cemented thereto, and is additionally secured through coupling pins 35 to the neck 31. ABy thus securing the strap 32 to the cover plate 9, a substantial terminal for the strap is provided, which, when assembled with the box 2, presents an ornamental tip, or strap terminal.

The assembling and operation of my improved expansion link catch-hook 1s effected by first lsecuring the strap 32 by its slotted terminal to the cover plate 9, /by a suitable adhesive cement, by rivets or both cement and rivets. lThe coupling .ar guide pin (5 having been removed from the end ot the guide plate 5, the elongated link 4 is next introduced into the slotted portion of the box 2, then the link is slid baick into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the guide pin 6 is introduced through the perforation 17 and guide plates 5. The spiral compression spring having been placed in position in the link 4, the pin 6 may be secured to the guide plates by heading Ait over'on the outside, by means of a suitable punch which may be introduced through the perforations, and the box 2 and cover plate 9 are now suitably secured to each other.'

Upon pulling the hook 3 outwardly, or in a direction as indicated in Fig. 5 which operation is rendered expeditious by a thrust of the linger against the finger-catch 27, the sliding guide pin 7 will compress the spiral compression spring 8 while it is playing in the guide-ways 19, and upon the release of the hook 3, or linger-catch 27 the reaction of the said spring will return the link 4 and sliding guide pin 7, and bring the base of the finger-catch 27 against the inner wall of the end 13, when further action shall have been arrested, and the expansion link and catch-hook will be in its normal position.

l/Vhen it is desired to attach the expansion link catch-hook to a strap watch-bracelet, as for example, that as illustrated in Fig. 8, a strap, together with the attached cover plate 9 1s placed in position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 or 4 to assemble with the box. 2,

whereupon, the end of the cover plate, designated 36 corresponding to the end 12 of the bottom 10 shall lie in proximity to the hook 3 and serve as a guard therefor. In this position, the cover plate 9 together ,with the strap may be secured to the box 2, b passing a coupling pin or screw throug each o. the perforations 17 and 18, and neck 31, and into the inclosed strap ends.

When my improved expansion link catchhook is employed as an expansion unit in a bracelet structure, the finger-catch 27 ex-A tends uppermost, While the bill 26 of the hook 3, as well as cross-bar or guard 28,

lies in contact with the wrist of the wearer.

The office of the guard 28 is to prevent the bill 26 of the hook 3 from bearing too shar ly againstthe flesh, while the guard 28, aving a larger surface, obviates disagreeable pressure, when the bracelet struc-A ture is under tension.

In the watch bracelet, illustrated in Fig. 8, illustrating the disposition of two of my expansion link catch-hooks, a limited amount ofelasticity is afforded after the strap has been buckled around the wrist in the securing of the position of the watch involved, whereby a degree of comfort is atl'orded the wearer. It is obvious, however, that a number of these expansion links may be introduced-at various points in the length of the strap to further enhance the elasticity of the bracelet as a whole.

After the bill 26 has been introduced to the bow of the watch or other linking element, and the same has been snapped into position, around the hook 3, and positioned between the ends 36 of the cover plate and 12 of the box, security of the engaged link, or watch-bow, with my improved link catchhook is assured.

iso

It is obvious than many minor changes may be made in the construction of my improved expansion link `:itch-hook Without departing 'from the spirit of the invention, as for example, it may be duplexed by unitingv two of them end to end, whereby double expansion is atl'orded, and the same may be constructed in a variety of forms conducive to ornamentation, and moreover, it is inexpensive in construction. as well as simple in operation. Furthermore, it; provides an expedient for promoting elasticity for the usual type of inelastic bracelet structures, and

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe U. S.-

l. ln a combined catch-hook and expansion link. a box, provided with exterior upwardly extended and laterally spaced integral walls. and an outer wall, the latiteiybeing lonv gitinliiially and interntediately slotted, and provided with inwardly projecting integral tlanges, comprising upwardly projecting iii-- nei' walls. in alinenient with the said slot, and having longitudinal giaioves. disposed as gtiitle\\'ays, formed from one end of tlie said llanges, and terminating in stops, in a direction toward the other extremity of the said llaiiges, an integral link and catch-hook, provided willi a guide-i `n playing between the flanges and guide-ways, a stop pin passing through the upwardly projecting inner walls and the link, and a compression spring between the guide pin and stop pin, sittiated within the link, together with a corresponding cover plate, carried by the box.

2. In a coinbined catch-hook and expant lierebetween,

sion link, a casing, a slotted housing formed within the central portion of the casing, a spring retracted link andv hook carried by said housing, a guide-pin secured to one end of the link, guide-ways formed Within the housing, and a cover plate carried by the said easing.

3. In au expansion catch-hook, a casing, comprising a cover, a box, an intermediately situated and longitudinally movable spring retracted catch-hook7 the hook overlapping the cover, and a transverse bar, disposed as a liook-guard, integrally formed with the cover, together with means, eo-aeting with tht` cover and box, for securing thetwo together.

4. In a strap terminal expansion catchhook, the combination with a strap end,V of a box and a cover therefor, the strap end being secured to the box and cover, and housed otI a longitudinally situated spring retracted link, guided and playing within the box, and having an integrally formed catch-hook, projecting i'i'oin the box and overlapping the cover, of a transverse guard upon the cover, adjacent to the hook, or' fastening devices penetrating the box, cover, and strap end, and of a finger-catch, integral with the link, extending througn the box, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof, l have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES L. DIGIOLLIER.

Witnesses:

E. C. Difxctri", F. E. Tin'rznANN. 

